When Tears Fall
by AngelsNeverCry
Summary: Hermione's home life isn't peachy, Severus is a bastard and everyone knows it. What happens when Dumbledore makes Hermione a potions assistant? Can they get along, or will they wind up in time out? PLEASE R/R!!!
1. Default Chapter

When Tears Fall.  
One well known fact about Severus Snape was that he was a bastard. There was no way around it. He just was. No one really knew why. He wasn't unattractive, he was very intelligent, and no one that knew him really hated him. Actually the whole staff of Hogwarts School respected him. Everyone knew that he had a rough childhood. No one but Dumbledore knew anything extensive about his past. The man just seemed like he had no heart at all. It was sad really.   
  
Severus took his seat at the staff table like usual and ate quickly. He did not say a word; he looked around the crowed noisy hall and seemed to see right through all of the students within the room. An almost sad look came across his face, but was quickly replaced by the blank unreadable stare that usually graced his features.   
  
His head turned sharply and he glared at me like he knew I was watching him. I quickly looked down at my plate and poked at my food a little. 'He really needs some happiness in his life.' I thought to myself.  
  
"I know Minerva. I think so to, the only problem is that he won't let anything or anyone inside. It is quite sad." said Dumbledore. I looked to my left at the Headmaster.  
  
"Albus? How did you know I was thinking that?" the Headmaster chuckled softly.  
  
"I just knew."   
  
"I want to help him Albus. He really does need someone to break through that wall of his and pull his head out of his…" she stopped rambling quickly before she said something very inappropriate.   
  
"I agree Minerva, but none of the staff would volunteer for such a task. It's not that they don't like him; they just don't appreciate his sarcasm." Albus chuckled a bit at this. "I don't know of many students who would like to spend that much time with their snaky potions professor either," said Albus with a very sad look taking over his face.  
  
"It can't be a Slytherin, for obvious reasons." Minerva decided. One reason being that they were all evil little prats. The second being that he was their head of house and they obviously aren't helping him much.  
  
"Huffelpuff wouldn't work either. They are all afraid of him and those who are not…well…they get on his nerves for being difficult in the learning process." Albus almost looked amused at this.  
  
"Right, so they would have to be able to hold an intellectual conversation. And be able to debate with him on some matters." Minerva pointed out. He needed someone who he could have a… friendly disagreement with.  
  
"Ravenclaw's are always so busy with studying, and on top of that they aren't all that well versed in potions."  
  
"Then that leaves Gryffindor, but it would be impossible for us to find someone in Gryffindor who would befriend him." said Minerva.  
  
"I know of someone who could get the job done." there was a sparkle in Albus' eye that Minerva didn't like.  
  
Albus stood and the hall went silent.  
  
"Would our Head Girl please join me in my office after breakfast. I have some things I need to discuss with you." Albus announced. The young woman nodded her head and went back to her breakfast.  
  
"Albus no! Not her!" Minerva was very upset with his choice.  
  
"And may I ask why not?"   
  
"She is a girl! I was thinking along the lines of a male companion. Not a female. Least of all her. I mean really Albus. You just can't put an attractive young woman and a sexually deprived teacher in a room together…alone…and expect them to just be friends."  
  
"Minerva, he is not a pervert. I highly doubt he would do anything to her if she did not agree. Despite what many think he is quite the gentleman. And lastly, how are you to know if he is sexually deprived or not?" Albus had a smug look on his face.   
  
Minerva didn't want to even think about Severus' sex life. She did bring it upon herself with the 'sexually deprived' comment.  
  
"I think she will do just fine. Anyway who else could we find that would assist our potions professor with a little project I have set up for him. You see I have came to him with the idea of a student assistant during his class. He has been swamped with work lately and it has been even harder for him to get things done with all of his other… activities." Albus looked at Severus very fondly. Minerva knew of him being a spy on the dark lord.   
  
"Fine I give my consent." Minerva said wishing she had never brought it up.  
  
~*~  
  
"I've got to go to that meeting with the Headmaster guys. I'll see you later." she waved to Harry and Ron as they headed to the quidditch pitch and she went the opposite direction toward the Headmasters office.   
  
She arrived in front of the gargoyle that opened the door to the Headmasters office.   
  
"Sour Patch." came the dark silky voice from behind. She quickly realized that it belonged to her potions master.  
  
"Hello Professor Snape." She said politely. She looked at the man that she respected and almost idolized. She would never in her life let anyone else know that bit of information though.  
  
"Good morning Miss. Granger." he said in return. She quickly turned away from him and went up the stairs and to the Headmasters office. She knew Snape was right behind her and it made her nervous.  
  
"Miss Granger! Severus! Right on time!" came the cheerful voice of the Headmaster.  
  
"Albus could you hurry this on. I have many papers to grade." Snape said in a low drawl as he sat in a chair in front of the Headmasters desk. Hermione followed suit and sat in the one that was beside it.  
  
"Of course Severus." the Headmaster said kindly. He turned his attention to Hermione. "Miss. Granger how would you like to be the new potions assistant?" he asked smiling from ear to ear.  
  
"Albus! I told you that I did not need an assistant!" Snape stated sounding like he was trying to hold back a lot of anger.  
  
"And I think you do. I think it would be good for her to learn the ways of being a professor. Seeing that she may very well become one someday."   
  
Hermione was overcome with joy. She loved potions, it was her favorite subject and she wanted so badly to teach it when she could.  
  
"Are you serious?" she asked stunned.  
  
"Very serious my dear." the Headmaster smiled. Hermione looked over to where Snape was sitting. He had a very disgusted look on his face.  
  
"I am sorry Headmaster, but I can not. It is very difficult to accept something like this when Professor Snape so obviously wants no part of the idea." Hermione said upset that the professor would hate being in her company so. She excused herself politely and quickly exited the room.  
  
~*~  
  
"Severus Snape! That was the most disgusting display I have ever witnessed." Albus said his disappointment written all over his face.  
  
"Albus I do not need an assistant. I need a Bloody cure for this scar!" he yelled frustrated speaking of the dark mark.  
  
"Severus you will find Miss. Granger, apologize, and take her on as an assistant." Albus said sounding dead serious.  
  
"Fine." he said giving up. He walked out the door and went to the library to find the little know it all.  
  
~*~  
Hermione didn't know why she let him get to her like this. He was only her professor, and yet she cried over him constantly like he was an abusive boyfriend. She didn't fancy him. At least she didn't think she did. She was seventeen, there were hundreds of single boys in the school. Why on earth would she fancy her twenty year older potions professor.  
  
She sat in the library crying like a baby. She just couldn't help it. He was the only teacher she couldn't impress. He never acknowledged her work in the least. Even when she knew that a potion was absolutely perfect he still gave her no credit.  
  
She was horrible with men. Her father ignored her. He talked fondly of her sister, but never one word of her accomplishments. Her older brother was a jerk. She had and would never tell anyone of what he did to her in the middle of the night while the others slept. And his friends were no better. She hated it when her parents would leave her alone at home with Brock (her brother).   
  
Her parents had basically forgotten she was alive since she received her letter. The people that took her to get her school supplies were her aunt and uncle. Her parents made it clear the only reason she was still part of the family was because they were well respected people in the business and if anyone knew they kicked out their youngest daughter their reputation would be ruined.  
  
Her sister was twenty-four and beautiful. She had a job as a model for some of the beauty magazines. She was tall and slender she had long thick curly brown hair that showed no frizz. And she had blue eyes.   
  
Her brother was twenty-one. Brock was a high school drop out. He was on drugs and an alcoholic. Brock still lived at home. He was very good looking also. Very tall and had a well defined body and face. Brock had deep brown eyes and sandy blond hair in a layered cut. He was a total jerk and Hermione hated him.  
  
She let out another silent sob. She was used to crying without making any noise by now. If her brother ever heard her cry after one of his visits he would try again to make her feel better in his twisted way.  
  
She felt a hand touch her shoulder and turned around quickly. "No!" she screamed. She was totally lost in thought. She wouldn't look at who it was afraid she would see her brother's face.   
  
The figure pulled her out of the chair and pulled her against them. She tried to beat them with her fists all the while not looking at them. She kept screaming no over and over. They had a hold of her wrists. Flashes of that summer and many before then bombarded her mind and all she knew was what she saw.  
  
"Miss. Granger! I assure you I am not trying to hurt you!" She heard the familiar silky voice of her mentor. She looked up in shock.  
  
~*~  
  
Severus had no idea that his being upset with the assistance Albus had insisted on would make the poor girl cry. He hated it when women cried. It was one of his only weaknesses. He had never cried in his entire life. Not be cause of mental or physical pain. He just couldn't do it. And for some reason it bothered him when people did it. He felt a certain loss. Especially when women cried.   
  
He stood behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She screamed and sharply ran from his touch. At first he was shocked, but then he saw that her eyes had glazed over and she would not look him in the eye. He pulled her out of her chair in order to try and comfort her, something he was not used to doing with anyone. She yelled even more and tried desperately to hit him.   
  
"Miss. Granger! I assure you I am not trying to hurt you!" Suddenly she seemed to come out of her trance. Her eyes went wide like she just realized something important.   
  
"I am here to apologize for my display in the Headmasters office. And I would like you to become my assistant." that had to have been one of the hardest things he had ever done in his life.  
  
"Do you mean it!" she cried. He nodded his head and the girl and she threw her arms around his neck in a hug. Severus didn't know what to do. He just stood there awkwardly.  
  
"Now I suggest that you go and see the nurse. Then you are to meet me in the classroom to make arrangements." he said. His voice was back to that cold unwelcoming tone.  
  
~*~  
  
It had been two weeks since Hermione had started assisting Snape. She actually enjoyed it. Even though he was back to his horrid mood swings. She had not seen Snape act with the… you couldn't really call it kindness, but courtesy, that he had shown her that day in the library.   
  
Today was not a good day for Hermione. Today was the beginning of Christmas break, and that meant she would be going home.  
  
"Okay professor. I will be back in two weeks. The papers I've graded are on your desk and the papers that need graded are on your bookshelf. The seventh years lesson plans are still in need of revising…"   
  
"I am sure I can handle it all Miss. Granger," he said coldly.  
  
"Okay then, Happy Christmas." she said and walked out the door and made her way to the train.  
  
~*~  
  
Harry and Ron were waiting in the last compartment for her. They both smiled when she entered.  
  
"Herms! What took you so long?" Ron asked with a mouth full of chocolate. Harry was going to spend Christmas with the Weasleys. Hermione had been invited, but her parents would not allow it. They had parties and such that they needed her to attend.   
  
"I had to say good-bye to Professor Snape." Hermione said quickly.  
  
"I don't know why you bother being nice to him Hermione. He is always going to be a cruel bastard." Harry commented.  
  
"I agree." came Ron's put in.  
  
"Come on, he's not so bad. He just likes to…"   
  
"Criticize everyone and everything," said Harry   
  
"To make everyone feel like a bunch of idiots," Ron suggested.  
  
"Oh come off it! He isn't that bad really." Hermione was trying to defend him, but everything they said was true.  
  
There were a few moments of silence and then the boys launched into a conversation on quidditch. Hermione didn't much feel like taking part in their enthusiasm and pulled 'Hogwarts: A History' out of her bag.  
  
~*~  
  
It was going to be another lonely Christmas. Severus was used to it by now. He sat down in front of his desk and saw the pile of graded papers Hermione had left him. He hated to admit it, but he actually enjoyed the silent presence of her the past two weeks.   
  
She was very beautiful girl, he had to admit that. She wasn't thin but she wasn't fat. She had soft curves which he found amazingly attractive in women. Her hair was curly and chocolate colored with soft highlights. But her eyes were what got him. She would look him in the eye and he thought he could just drown in the honey colored pools. He would never admit any of this to a soul, but he was starting to like the girl.  
  
~*~  
  
Hermione got off the train and quickly hugged and kissed Harry and Ron on the cheek.   
  
"We'll wait with you until your parents get here." said Harry.  
  
"Thanks, oh no…" she spotted her brother getting out of his black 1967 mustang and walking toward her.  
  
"Hermione! It's great to see you!" he said with a smile on his face that she didn't like. She noticed he had gotten his lip and eyebrow pierced.  
  
"Hullo Brock" she said with no excitement in her voice.  
  
"Who's this?" Asked Ron eying Brock suspiciously.  
  
"It's my brother." she answered plainly.  
Brock went toward her to get her things and she quickly moved out of his reach. She didn't want to touch him. She didn't want him to be anywhere near him.  
  
"I'm fine, I'll carry them." she said in a voice that was not her own. "See you guys." she hugged them both once more and quickly left.  
  
Brock was right behind her. "Mione what was all that about? Didn't you miss me while you were gone? I know I missed you." he whispered this in her ear and she jumped about ten feet.  
  
"No I didn't miss you Brock. Why should have I?" she knew she shouldn't irritate him, but she couldn't help it at times.  
  
"I will refresh your memory of why later." Brock said coldly. They reached the car and she climbed into the back seat while Brock got in the drivers.  
  
~*~  
  
Harry and Ron watched as Hermione left with her brother. They didn't like what they saw. She was all jumpy and walked as far away from him as she could. There was something wrong with that picture.  
  
~*~  
A/N: So there is the first chapter. I know the whole brother thing is twisted, but if you don't like it don't read it. This is my first fic so please go easy on me. I don't like flames either. Please review.   
I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE HARRY POTTER CHARACTERS!!! 


	2. Chapter 2

When Tears Fall…  
  
When Hermione finally arrived home she just sat in the car for a while. She didn't want to go into that house. She knew exactly what would happen, it was always the same.   
  
It was eight o' clock, they would have dinner, watch some television, and go to bed. They wouldn't say a word to her the whole time and then around eleven, that night, Brock would pay her a visit in her room.   
  
She wished she could disappear. She wished everything were happy and nice and perfect like everyone thought it was. But it wasn't and she would just have to put up with it.  
  
"Get out of the car already!" Brock yelled. He had already taken her things to her room and had come back so he could go to a party.  
  
"Don't yell at me!" she yelled back and quickly got out of the car.  
  
"I'll be back soon and we'll have a very, very long meeting about your behavior," he said with a nasty smile pasted on his face.  
  
He drove off and Hermione headed inside. She had no friends in the muggle world mostly because she never had, had time for them. Even in grade school she was very focused on homework. She never knew that she needed a friend until she came to Hogwarts.  
  
~*~  
  
Just as she expected the evening was full of eating dinner, watching television and going to bed. Her parents kept to themselves. They never touched her once the whole evening, and she didn't think they even looked at her at all.   
  
She was ling in her bed and looking around her room. It was very plain and very organized. There was a bed in the far left corner of the room and a bookshelf in the far right. Against the opposite wall was a desk for her to do her homework on. A closet graced the right corner of the right wall. This would be the view of the room that you got when walking in the door. The walls were a washed out blue color and the carpet was a cream.  
  
The clock by her bed said that it was ten forty five. Her brother would be there in fifteen minutes. He would be drunk and do what he wanted and leave. She was so used to it by now that she knew exactly every movement, word, anything he would say or do the whole time. How could she not? Even while she was at Hogwarts she had a hard time sleeping around this time of night because it was always so fresh in her mind.  
  
She wanted him to go to pay for everything he had done to her, but there was that little part of her that said if anyone knew that her brother had been raping her for the past five years they would hate her. She could just hear them talking about what a slut she was and everything else. She just couldn't do it. Her reputation would be ruined.  
  
The door slowly opened and in walked Brock. Right when he walked in the room instantly smelled of alcohol. He walked beside her and she could feel his breath on her neck.  
  
"Are y…you slll…sll..sleeping?" He slurred. She didn't say a word or make any kind of movement. She hoped that he would just go away if he thought she was sleeping, but she knew she was kidding herself.  
  
"I know you're awake!" he said and started laughing like something was highly amusing about her pretending to sleep.  
  
He put his hands on her and clumsily pawed at her body, but she couldn't feel a thing. She let her body go numb and wouldn't think anything about what was going on now. She found very soon though that she couldn't keep her mind off of it.   
  
He covered her with sloppy kisses and she could smell alcohol everywhere. It was making her sick to her stomach. He finally got tired with all that and moved strait on to his own personal pleasure. Finally he got his release and left the room.   
  
Hermione couldn't move. Her body ached as if he had taken a baseball bat and beat her half to death with it. She couldn't think of anything else to do so she lie there and cried. It was absolutely silent so that she wouldn't disturb her parent's sleep. She cried herself to sleep.  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
Severus had had way too much to drink. He was stumbling around the kitchen in his privet rooms looking for another bottle of whiskey. He finally gave up and somehow made his way to his bed. He flopped down on the bed and let his mind wander. He smiled when his thoughts fell on the beautiful young woman that was his potions assistant. He couldn't stop thinking about how attractive she really was to him.   
  
He knew it was wrong to even think about a student like that, but she was so beautiful. On the inside and the out. She had this way about her and a strange confidence. And she smelled so good. He'd never noticed all of those little things before.  
  
Not until she became his assistant. When she talked he actually listened. She might not know that, but he liked hearing her talk. Lately he had started noticing things like when she was grading papers she would bite her bottom lip slightly like she was really concentrating. Was he really starting to like her?   
  
~*~  
  
Finally she was going home. That is to Hogwarts. Her brother had only come to bed once the entire trip, but she had been sick ever since just thinking about it. She couldn't let it go on anymore. She fully intended to tell the Headmaster of what had been going on when she arrived at the castle.   
  
Her parents hadn't said a word to her the whole time she was there. And they had Brock drive her to the train station. She was in the front seat this time but she practically hugged the door.   
  
"Hermione loosen up. Look, are you sick or something. I noticed you've been off the past couple of days," he said actually sounding concerned.  
  
"Why would you care?" she answered coldly. They parked in front of the station so that he could just let her out and leave. He looked at her with such hate in his eyes it almost scared her.   
  
"I should slap you right now, but we are in a public place and you better be glad of that." he grabbed her arm and pulled her face towards his. He kissed her roughly and bit her bottom lip slightly. She tried to push him away, but he was too strong for her. He let her go and she practically ran out of the car. She got her bags and he drove off. Harry and Ron came running out the door.   
  
"Hermione! Are you okay?" Harry asked. She didn't even realize until now that she was crying. Then she felt a rumble in her stomach and her mouth filled with saliva. She ran to the bathroom dropping her things in front of Harry and Ron. She emptied her stomach and began sobbing. This time you could hear her cry.  
  
"Herms! Please come out!" She heard Ron from outside the door.  
  
"H…hold o…n" she cried. Hermione looked into the mirror above the sink and saw that her lip was bleeding. She splashed cold water over her face and healed the small bite on her lip. She left the bathroom calm and acting as if nothing had happened.  
  
"Are you okay?" Harry asked again.   
  
"Fine."   
  
They boarded the train in silence. They didn't even say a word through the train ride home.   
  
~*~  
  
The only reason Severus had lived through this Christmas break without having to get his stomach pumped was because Dumbledore kept a constant watch over him. Albus had come to visit him Christmas Eve and found him drunker than a sailor and cleared his cabinets of all the whiskey they held.  
  
He had a boring Christmas in other words. His mother had sent him a bunch of books and Albus sent him some socks. But other than that it was a long holiday of reading his mothers trashy romance novels that she had finished reading.  
  
  
  
He didn't know why, but that is what she always sent him for Christmas. Romance novels, and he usually threw them away, but seeing he had nothing better to do he read them. He found that he did not enjoy a one of them.  
  
They were all the same. Amazingly handsome, mysterious, sensitive, man meets to die for woman. They make passionate earth shattering love and one of them either dies or runs away. They were so sickeningly far from reality that he couldn't stand it.   
  
What was real was what was going on inside him. He could feel things changing even though Hermione wasn't there he couldn't get his mind off her. How could he let this happen to himself? How could he possibly have feelings for her?   
  
She would be arriving at school soon and he had to get a grip on this strange newfound emotion.  
  
~*~  
  
Hermione had fallen asleep on the way to Hogwarts and Harry didn't want to wake her. He gently cradled her in his arms and went strait to the hospital wing with Ron at their side.   
  
"What's wrong boys?" asked Madam Pomfrey.  
  
  
  
"We don't really know. She threw up at the train station and I think you might want to check her out," said Harry. Ron and him had been extremely worried ever since she left with her brother. Something just was not right about that boy.  
  
"Well, if she's throwing up in the morning I'm going to keep her in here for a while. Would you boys mind running down to tell Severus she won't be in tonight? Oh and I need a scanning potion to see what's wrong with her." she asked sweetly.  
  
"Sure" they answered in unison. They didn't really want to see him so soon but they would do anything for Hermione.  
  
~*~  
  
The boys arrived in front of Snape's door five minutes later and knocked twice. They heard a grunt from inside and took that as an indication for them to enter.  
  
"What do you two want?" Snape asked them with a glare.   
  
"Madam Pomfrey sent us to tell you that Hermione will not be here to work tonight and she needs a scanning potion." Ron quickly blurted.  
  
"What's wrong with her?" Snape asked, almost too quickly.  
  
"We don't know, she just threw up in the station," said Harry calmly.  
  
"Is it something serious?" Snape asked.  
  
"We have no idea professor. We need the scanning potion to find out. Snape got out of his chair and opened one of his cabinets he pulled out a tall thin tube full of black liquid. He handed the tube to Harry.  
  
"Here it is. Tell Madam Pomfrey to update me on her condition. Just so I know when to send her work." Snape growled and the two boys practically ran from the room.  
  
~*~  
  
A/N: Wow it took me a lot longer than I thought it would to get this done. I kept getting distracted.  
  
Jimena- If you don't understand something you can ask me about it in a review. Thanks for reviewing and I hope something in this chapter clears some of the confusion up.   
  
Belleluna- A new chapter finally! Thanks so much for reviewing! And you reviewed twice! I really appreciated you ideas and did take them into consideration, but you'll have to keep reading to find out what happens!  
  
Joani- Thanks for your review and compliments!  
  
DragonFireAngelVWP- I try my best to write an enjoyable story. If it's my first or my last and it really felt good to know that I accomplished that to some point. Thank you very much.  
  
Silver- I am very pleased you like it! I hope I can keep everyone in character. Hope you enjoy the chapter two!  
  
CC- Thanks very much! Don't worry it might take me a while to update, but I will finish. Just stick with me!  
  
Majandra- Thank you for your enthusiasm!  
  
Ponine- Do you mean newish in personality or in her looks? I tried to keep her same personality, but I never really have pictured her as being a supermodel. I always pictured her as pretty, but more of a normal woman's size and looks. Thank you for reviewing!  
  
DragonGirl- I'm glad you like my plot so far. Thanks for reviewing!  
  
BLV- This story is going to have a few twists and turns so I hope you keep liking how it goes! Thank you for reviewing!  
  
Rommie- You sounded unsure in your review of what you thought. If you have any constructive criticism I'd like to hear it! Thank you for reviewing.  
  
Janmmic- It's not soon, but it's here! Hope you like it.  
  
Maddie- Thank you! I try to keep it real and interesting.   
  
KittyKat52788- My first reviwer! Thank you and I hope you keep reading and liking the rest.   
  
  
  
A/N/2: Well I hope I get the next chapter out sooner! Please stick with me. It might take me a while, but I'll get a chapter out! I will finish this. Thank you to everyone who reviewed! You all inspire me to keep writing. And thanks to those who read and don't review. I hope you like the story to. 


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